U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not currently view Anthropic as a threat to national security, days after his administration imposed restrictions on foreign access to the company’s most advanced artificial intelligence models.
In a recorded interview published Friday, Trump praised Anthropic’s response to government concerns, saying the company had acted responsibly after the U.S. Department of Commerce directed it to obtain federal approval before allowing foreign nationals to use its latest AI systems, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5.
“I think they acted very responsibly,” Trump said, noting that Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei responded quickly to the administration’s requests.
The president added that he met Amodei and other technology executives on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France earlier this week.
When asked whether he believed Anthropic or its leadership posed a national security threat, Trump replied: “Not now. Maybe a week ago.”
The Commerce Department’s directive represents one of the most significant government interventions to date involving a leading artificial intelligence startup, reflecting growing concern in Washington over the potential strategic implications of advanced AI technologies.
The move has added fresh challenges for Anthropic, which recently filed for an initial public offering. The company’s valuation has reportedly surpassed $900 billion, placing it among the most valuable firms in the global technology sector.
According to people familiar with the matter, senior Anthropic engineers and executives met with Trump administration officials this week in an effort to address government concerns and clarify the company’s safeguards surrounding access to its most powerful AI models.
Despite the heightened scrutiny, Trump indicated he had no intention of shutting down the company, arguing that the United States continues to maintain an advantage over China in the global race to develop advanced artificial intelligence.
“I could have done that, but I’m not sure it’s necessary,” Trump said. “The company has behaved very responsibly so far.”
The dispute over access to Anthropic’s latest AI systems highlights the increasingly complex relationship between Washington and major AI developers as governments seek to balance innovation, national security, and international competition.
Anthropic has also been engaged in a separate dispute with the U.S. Department of Defense over the military use of artificial intelligence tools.
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